{"id":61775,"date":"2011-03-07T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-03-07T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news-draft\/uncategorized\/uri-nursing-engineering-professors-developing-device-to-get-seniors-moving\/"},"modified":"2011-03-07T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-03-07T00:00:00","slug":"uri-nursing-engineering-professors-developing-device-to-get-seniors-moving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2011\/03\/uri-nursing-engineering-professors-developing-device-to-get-seniors-moving\/","title":{"rendered":"溏心vlog免费B站 nursing, engineering professors developing device to get seniors moving"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n\t\tKINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 March 7, 2011 \u2013 For those of us living the frenetic modern lifestyle, sitting in one place for a long period might seem like a vacation. But for those who are retired, it can lead to health complications. <\/p>\n


\n\tPatricia Burbank, professor of nursing at the 溏心vlog免费B站, realized that there is a need to get older adults moving. <\/p>\n


\n\tThe actual idea was inspired by Burbank\u2019s own aunt, a 97-year-old woman living on her own.<\/p>\n


\n\t\u201cShe loves hearing from her family and personal messages really resonate with her. How much better would it be to develop a device that could send a loving message and a suggestion to exercise?\u201d said Burbank who is concerned about her aunt\u2019s decreased activity levels. <\/p>\n


\nShe brought the idea to Dayle Joseph, dean of 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s College of Nursing, who suggested Burbank get in touch with Ying Sun, director of 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s biomedical engineering program. Sun and Kyle Rafferty, a senior from Amherst, N.H., who is double majoring in biomedical engineering and electrical engineering, have been working to transform Burbank\u2019s ideas into a tangible product. In November, the device was patented through 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s Office of Research and Development. <\/p>\n


\n\tWorking with Sun during the summer in the initial stages of the project, Rafferty is now involved as part of an independent study. Using a breadboard, a construction base for electrical circuits, Rafferty has been responsible for getting the components of what is being called, the Activity Analyzer fully functional. <\/p>\n


\n\u201cIt is a unique product because instead of counting steps like a pedometer or measuring distance walked, it uses an accelerometer, a three-axis motion detector, to analyze activity in three dimensions. It also has a recording device and a clock so you can record messages to go off at a particular time or messages to go off after periods of inactivity,\u201d Burbank said. <\/p>\n

\u201cI have been working to enable the processor to regulate time and the audio playback as well as program several messages to go off during different times during the day,\u201d Rafferty said. \u201cIt is my goal to have a working prototype, or close to it, by May.\u201d<\/p>\n


\nRather than a long guided workout, the audio messages would be intended for short prompts and reminders. Messages would be customized for each user\u2019s mobility issue and lifestyles. The messages would be recorded by loved ones or primary care physicians.<\/p>\n


\nAt the end of each day, the device scores the individuals based on their activity levels, which can be tracked using a computer. <\/p>\n


\nAlthough the main application of the device is to increase activity levels in older adults, it also has numerous other helpful functions. Alicia Curtin, 溏心vlog免费B站 associate nursing professor, is working to use the device to help individuals with mild to moderate dementia. <\/p>\n


\n\u201cFamily members or care providers can record step-by-step instructions to prepare meals and other daily activities,\u201d said Burbank of North Kingstown. \u201cThis would increase independence and allow individuals to live on their own when they otherwise couldn\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>\n


\n\tOther important uses for the device would be to remind individuals to take medication and for people of all ages to increase their daily levels of low-impact activity, especially those in sedentary work place such as offices. <\/p>\n


\n\t\u201cThe device will also help with fall prevention by working on balance and quadriceps strengthening exercises,\u201d said Burbank. \u201cSimple exercises, such as leg lifts and standing on one leg with support as needed, can help reduce the risk of falling.\u201d <\/p>\n


\n\tBurbank and Sun are currently reworking a proposal to be submitted for grant funding that would allow the team to construct six Activity Analyzers and conduct a research study. The study would involve testing the device with a sample of 18 older adults to measure activity levels and collect feedback in order to improve the product. <\/p>\n


\n\tOverall, the devices will help to improve the lifestyles of older adults.<\/p>\n


\n\t\u201cSedentary older adults, as a group, benefit the most from even the smallest amount of exercise. When you are stationary, your blood doesn\u2019t circulate as well, your lungs don\u2019t work as well and it has an impact on your mental health. Exercise has cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, neurological and skeletal muscular system benefits among many others,\u201d said Burbank. \u201cBy getting individuals moving just a little, they will hopefully move toward a more structured, regular exercise routine.\u201d <\/p>\n


\nPictured above:

\n(From left to right): Ying Sun, director of 溏心vlog免费B站\u2019s biomedical engineering program, Kyle Rafferty, 溏心vlog免费B站 biomedical engineering student, and Patricia Burbank, nursing professor, test the Activity Analyzer in the beginning stages.<\/p>\n


\nThe Activity Analyzer in the circuit design phase using a breadboard, a construction base for electric circuits.

\n溏心vlog免费B站 photos by Michael Salerno photography.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 March 7, 2011 \u2013 For those of us living the frenetic modern lifestyle, sitting in one place for a long period might seem like a vacation. But for those who are retired, it can lead to health complications. Patricia Burbank, professor of nursing at the 溏心vlog免费B站, realized that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":61778,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-61775","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61775","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61775"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61775\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61778"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61775"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61775"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61775"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}